The Maltese Falcon - Unabridged

by Dashiell Hammett, Ben Werling (Narrator), Kevin Theis (Narrator)

Dashiell Hammett was already a well-established hard-boiled mystery writer by the time he released what would turn out to be his masterpiece, The Maltese Falcon in 1930. But with the release of this novel, Hammett would be catapulted to the forefront of American crime writers. The novel has been adapted several times for the screen and the 1941 film version—starring Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor—has become a film noir classic.

The story opens in the offices of Spade and Archer, a private detective agency run by partners Sam Spade and Miles Archer. When they are approached by an enigmatic young woman—called "Miss Wonderley"—to follow a man who has run off with her sister, Archer opts to take the initial shift...and is shot and killed his first night on the job.

Spade discovers that "Miss Wonderley" is, in fact, a treasure seeker named Brigid O'Shaunessey who, with several other disreputable characters, is on the hunt for a mysterious statue; a legendary, jewel-encrusted bird known as the Maltese Falcon. Multiple twists, turns, betrayals and complications ensue, resulting in one of the greatest crime novels of all time. Sam Spade is regularly cited as one of the most iconoclastic detectives in all of crime fiction.

The book is presented here in its original and unabridged format and has been narrated by renowned audiobook performers Ben Werling, Kevin Theis, and Sara Nichols.

Genres: Classics, Mystery

Audible Audio

Published February 11, 2026

About the author

Also wrote as Peter Collinson, Daghull Hammett, Samuel Dashiell, Mary Jane Hammett

Dashiell Hammett, an American, wrote highly acclaimed detective fiction, including The Maltese Falcon (1930) and The Thin Man (1934).

Samuel Dashiell Hammett authored hardboiled novels and short stories. He created Sam Spade (The Maltese Falcon), Nick and Nora Charles (The Thin Man), and the Continental Op (Red Harvest and The Dain Curse) among the enduring characters. In addition to the significant influence his novels and stories had on film, Hammett "is now widely regarded as one of the finest mystery writers of all time" and was called, in his obituary in the New York Times, "the dean of the... 'hard-boiled' school of detective fiction."

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashiell...

Reviews

[Ady · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

I appreciated this book as one of the first to do hardboiled detective noir. I appreciated the writing style where we are NEVER privy to the MC’s inner thoughts and feelings and have to draw conclusions from his actions and words. But damn if this didn’t feel like a case study on how the patriarchy hurts everyone, even men. I wish it was outdated, but the misogyny in this book is insane. I can’t really enjoy reading a book like this. I bet there are people out there now writing noir without that nonsense and I bet it is fantastic. I need to find it.

[Clifton · Rating 4 out of 5]

**The Maltese Falcon** is a gritty noir classic. Sam Spade’s cynical charm and the hunt for a priceless statuette drive a twisty, atmospheric tale. Hammett’s sharp prose and moral ambiguity still captivate today. One thing I had trouble with was the lingo considering when this was written.

[Richard Domann · Rating 5 out of 5]

classic gumshoe

A must read for anyone who is interested in and mesmerized by hard boiled mysteries. Sam Spade is the top of the heap and the San Francisco background completes the scenario.

[Todd Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Classic Read

I was a little surprised by the language in a book this old. No F-Bombs but more of the Lord's name in vain than I would have thought. It would have been 5 stars without that.

Fun read for sure. Well written. Extremely compelling.

[Brian Tomala · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of.

This book is a classic…and this printing does it justice. No line breaks, no paragraph mis-indented…nicely done and pleasure re-reading.

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's considered a classic for a reason. Can't imagine what else anyone needs in a review.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the audiobook for this. Music with film noir vibes, excellent vocal talents.